Official FAA report or public announcement

FAA Probes Near-Collision at LAX Between Key Lime Air Jet Carrying Gonzaga Team and Delta Flight 471, No Injuries

Dec 31, 2024, 04:30 AM

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation following a near-collision incident at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) involving Key Lime Air Flight 563, a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men's basketball team, and Delta Flight 471. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Friday when the Embraer E135 jet, operated by Key Lime Air, was ordered by air traffic controllers to stop as Delta Flight 471 was taking off. No injuries were reported. The near-miss was captured on a live broadcast, with air traffic controllers audibly directing the Key Lime Air flight to 'stop, stop, stop.' The Gonzaga team was in Los Angeles for a game against UCLA, which they lost 65-62 at the Intuit Dome. The university stated that its team members were unaware of the situation during the incident and expressed gratitude for the safe outcome. Delta confirmed that its flight operated normally and is cooperating with the investigation, while Key Lime Air has not yet responded to requests for comment. Gonzaga later won its West Coast Conference opener against Pepperdine, with Khalif Battle scoring a team-high 21 points and Braden Huff contributing 19 points. Coach Mark Few emphasized the importance of the team's victory.